The high-powered U.S. aerial delivery system of Hellfire missiles to suspected terrorist targets overseas has to be the worst kept secret in Washington. Better known as the "drone program," there are lingering questions over whether the program that is no longer secret remains "classified."

The president's assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, John Brennan, publicly acknowledged the program last month, and offered more detail than anyone previously regarding the administration's rationale for the use of drones.

"Yes, in full accordance with the law - and in order to prevent terrorist attacks on the United States and to save American lives - the United States government conducts targeted strikes against specific al Qaeda terrorists, sometimes using remotely piloted aircraft, often referred to publicly as drones," Brennan told a crowd at the Woodrow Wilson Center, a prestigious think tank in Washington.

But the drone program, despite being a horribly-kept secret, is a classified program. So the question is, by publicly acknowledging the use of drones, even going into detail about why the United States uses them, was Brennan also delivering a message from the president that the program had been declassified?

After all, here was the president's top counterterrorism adviser saying, in effect, "Yeah, we do that."

The question is whether such a public acknowledgment about a program that was classified thereby makes the program "declassified."

There is a formal, technical process for declassifying information, but the president isn't obligated to follow a paper trail, according to Washington lawyer Jeffrey Smith, who currently sits on the external advisory board for the director of Central Intelligence, and is former general counsel for the CIA.

According to Smith, the president can simply declare that something is declassified and, poof, it is declassified. The hard part is understanding whether there has been a "poof."

"The classification system is based entirely on an executive order from the president; there is no statutory authority for this. The president sets the criteria for classification and for declassification," says Smith.

So if the president's chief counterterorrism adviser gives a public speech explaining why the United States chooses to engage in a targeted drone program overseas, and even talks about the internal debate over the use of such program, that acknowledgment alone sends a very confusing message to others in the intelligence world, not to mention the rest of the world.

"There can be confusion, and this is part of the insidious nature of this business," says Smith, who added that, generally speaking, "Once something has been officially declassified and put into the public record by a speech, then whatever is in the four corners of that speech is declassified, but there is no notice that goes around to the government that says, 'This has been declassified.' It is just understood."

A senior congressional official sees it the same way, saying he believes the drone program has been declassified because of the public nature of Brennan's speech.

"I would assume that John Brennan is not just winging it, and that his comments reflected a decision by the president to say what he said," said the official, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity around the issue.

"To the degree that he discussed drone programs, I would consider that to be declassified."

"There is confusion outside the government, there is confusion inside the government," says Steven Aftergood, director of the government secrecy program with the Federation of American Scientists. "This is (a) very bureaucratized system which means it follows set rules, but it doesn't necessarily follow what you and I would call common sense."

So common sense might be that a prepared speech, delivered publicly because the administration wants to provide more "transparency" into such program, might mean that the program is no longer classified.

"This was not a surreptitious encounter with a journalist at a remote location, this was not Scooter Libby meeting with somebody and whispering to them," said Aftergood. He was referring to former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who was convicted in 2007 in connection with the leaking of CIA officer Valerie Plame's identity - information that was technically classified, though Cheney later implied that information had been declassified.

"This was a public event and to the extent that this was published, presumably it had been vetted, so I guess I would say the contents of the speech are declassified and any official is now authorized to repeat the words that Brennan stated," said Aftergood.

What if the president himself talks about the program publicly? Would that be enough to consider the information declassified?
That's exactly what happened in January during a YouTube-Google forum.

"I think we have to be judicious in how we use drones," said President Obama.

"But understand that probably our ability to respect the sovereignty of other countries and to limit our incursions into somebody else's territory is enhanced by the fact that we are able to (execute a) pinpoint strike on al Qaeda operatives in a place where the capacities of that military in that country may not be able to get them."

Common sense would dictate that might be enough of a reason to consider the information declassified, right?

"There is a formal declassification process" says Fran Townsend, CNN contributor and former homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush. "When Brennan said it, he presumably had vetted his remarks through the White House." That would imply that the president himself had given Brennan permission to speak about the program.

But this is Washington, and just because something makes sense doesn't mean it's right.

"I will tell you, if it were me, I would not talk about it, unless it was formally declassified." says Townsend. "I would quote Brennan on the program, but I wouldn't say it myself, unless the president actually said it to me."

And that seems to be more the path that administration officials have taken since Brennan made the comments last month.

Pentagon spokesman George Little was asked recently about the program and wouldn't comment directly, but chose more general terms instead.

"There is a natural tension between secrecy and openness," said Little. "Those are twin imperatives sometimes in our nation. And so from time to time, on various issues, and I'm not commenting on any particular one issue, we do have those discussions about transparency, and the need to balance transparency against the need or secrecy. I think we've all agreed that there is a need for secrecy on some matters, but to the extent that over time circumstances change - and I'm not predicting anything on a particular issue - we can open the door to more information."

It seems that might be a safer route. When pressed on the question of whether the president intended for the program to be declassified by sending Brennan to explain it publicly, National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said "J(ohn) B(rennan) didn't declassify anything."

"I'm not going to get into internal deliberations, but as a general matter we obviously push to be as transparent as we can while being mindful of our national security equities," said Vietor.

fantastic.... now our nintendo pilots can spend the whole day killing rock farmers, and still be home in time for a shower and dinner with the wife and kids. i love the defense system, making a whole lot of money on pretend wars.
wouldn't want any of those rock farmers to throw their stones across the big ocean... be afwaid be vewy vewy afwaid.. cant we bankrupt the country...trying to do something more productive for our own people ???

Nintendo pilots killing rock farmers, huh? Something more productive? How about figuring out ways to dodge falling airplane debris, because those "rock farmers" are constantly trying to figure out ways to blow up aircraft, and if we don't keep up the pressure they will be free to figure it out a lot faster.

Your frivolity is cute but let us not forget the innocent collateral damage. Our 3000 dead were viciously targeted even though they were innocent. Let us never respond in kind. Let us always try to target the criminal and not the innocent. We value life. Al Quaeda is under the influence of the great deceiver and values pain and suffering. That is how the great deceiver is strengthened. In the past he used the Catholic inquisitors now he has the Jihadists to do his evil bidding. May Allah help us all.

Anyone that believes anything the government say's is kidding themselves, using drones and not people to force their will on another country is not war, it is murder, for not using human life's to do the job there is nothing to loose. And remember the United States Government is responsible for 9-11 and Waco TX and Ruby Ridge they committed murder, pure and simple it is the fault of the government going around the world for the last 70 years trying to bully other countries and forcing it's will on everyone. The whole government has become nothing more than a lie and a scam in order to keep the cannon fodder to keep paying into a failed corrupt out of control government. The people are nothing more than slaves to the government, why else would a government pass laws against it's own citizens taking away our rights? The dollar is backed by the slave labor and nothing else no gold just that the slaves will keep paying into a tyranny government!

I certanly could not agree more with you, after seen Dan Quayle as vice president and Gearge W. Bush been elected you wonder just that.. and i would add another for the most sensitive man ever in power "dick" Cheney....

People need to look at it this way. If they are not American Citizens, they are of absolutely no value and if they pose even the slightest threat then they should be eliminated. If drones allow for Non-Americans to be disposed of without putting American lives at risk then its for the better. Pick a side already our society has been intelligent and organized enough to develop this technology, So anything goes when it comes to eliminating threats. People outside the U.S. do not have the same rights as our citizens and their deaths should be treated as the same as swatting flies. Emotion has no place in making decisions to keep our citizens safe.

Let them we should be postured to make even the thought of doing anything against our country/people punishable by swift destruction. We have developed one of if not the most successful organizations of people in the history of mankind we have no reason to hate ourselves and think any other group is our equal. They can either work toward the benefit of our nation and in turn be benefited themselves or be destroyed.

No, I'm not foolish enough to believe that you can reason with terrorists, etc, but you might want to pick up your holy book of choice and read a few passages about charity and general brotherhood of man stuff. The man who denies that anyone else is worth an ounce of spit quickly finds out that the entire world considers him not worth spit.

I'm an Atheist. Every country in the world is justified to do whatever it needs to do in order to further its interests. If they decide to do it in actions that damaged the US in any way then they should face the cost of the shear destruction of all human life within its own borders.

May 24, 2012 at 2:34 pm |

Mao Zedong

People need to look at it this way. If they are not Chinese Citizens, they are of absolutely no value and if they pose even the slightest threat then they should be eliminated. If NUKES allow for Non-Chinese to be disposed of without putting chinese lives at risk then its for the better. Pick a side already our society has been intelligent and organized enough to develop this technology, So anything goes when it comes to eliminating threats. People outside China do not have the same rights as our citizens and their deaths should be treated as the same as swatting flies. Emotion has no place in making decisions to keep our citizens safe. - Is it good to hear it coming from a Chinese?

@TimV: Hear what you say and read what you write. You might want to know how others would feel before you express.

June 5, 2012 at 7:23 pm |

Tim V

It feels just fine to hear it from the "a Chinese" as you put it and it in a way funny this is very close to their actual policy. It is our folly as Americans not to follow a similar policy. The strong overcome the weak, If we continue to worry about "feelings" of Non-Americans other then them loving or fearing us, then they will eventually become number 1. We have to quit hating ourselves for being at the top and do everything we can to maintain our position.

June 6, 2012 at 1:24 am |

Eddard

Although drones saves lives, I am actually against using them. The more we are distanced from war, the more trivial war becomes. Taking a life should mean something, especially if its something we believe is worth fighting for. When killing of an enemy occurs on a computer screen, it is completely depersonalized. When we don't perceive the costs of wars, the threshold of entering one is lowered. We enter wars in areas that don't directly affect us, for trivial reasons, or possibly fabricated reasons (Iraq?). Instead of drones, we should reinstate the draft so that if we believe the wars we are in do not justify the sacrifice of American lives, public opinion will have a say again in what wars we fight in or not.

on that point, I will agree with you. I would like to see a draft in place, with it specifically written into law that there shall be no exceptions for the sons and daughters of privelege. It would make our policymakers a hell of a lot more responsible about when we do or do not start a conflict. Still, once a war HAS broken out, I want as many of our side as possible to come home alive and whole, and if drones can aid that, then I'm all for drones.

Not sure how to best balance two concerns. Maybe some way to enshrine this that they can only be used in retaliatory attack?

I agree. Furthermore, re-institute the draft and severely limit deferments so that the children of the legislators and wealthy conservatives who support war-making are statistically as likely to end up in harm's way as the average inductee.

Every member of Congress should be required to be part of a notification team that has the solemn duty of informing families of the death of their loved one in the service of our country.

drones are cowardly. A suicide bomber has more guts than adrone pilot.

They are disgusting instruments making peace even harder and only encouraging the weak minded that they cancontrol events in lands which do not concern them. Its a disgrace that the US uses them and even more disgusting that the US public are so passive about the murder and mayhem they are causing. America should learn its not good at winning wars. Drones wont change that, all they will do is kill more and make that seem commonplace. The country will lose its soul along the wat.

"Drones are cowardly", eh? Why can I only think of the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones shot the guy with the huge saracen sword and the *entire theatre* just burst out laughing and cheering?

When it's life and death, there's NO SHAME in using high tech to walk away alive.
Rules about "fair fights" are for children.

100% for drones. No question. They save american lives. Why on earth is an american news agency desperately trying to expose what they're looking at. who cares. as long as they get the job done i dont see a problem. CNN needs to focus on something else.

I think they want to keep it classified so they can deny it when they are brought up for war crimes for killing innocent civilians. Let's face it drones are a reflection of america's new found identity of a scared, timid nation.

they never were a secret..... only ONE country had the technology,,,, only one country upgrading them to carry hellfires.
only 1 country denied they were using them. only a few NATO nations were in afghanistan while they were being used. only one of them had the tech etc etc etc.....

I personally don't like war at all. There are times when it is necessary, but I definitely don't think that a machine should decide who lives or dies, only a person with sound judgment should have any say in what goes on in a war. War can cause more problems that create solutions in many cases, especially when mercy, compassion, and sound judgment in who to hold accountable for the atrocities are not utilized. A machine should never be in control of a war. I would prefer that we never have to go to war. In many cases, it's probably not as justified as people think, yet there are situations where people need to keep the peace, protect the public and other peacible people around the world. I also don't think that we should be the sole police force in these battles. That's why they created NATO and the UN. There are times when the majority is wrong also, and that goes both ways. There are a lot of questions about these wars overseas, but I don't doubt that it's been somewhat helpful. I also think that we should be more worried about keeping drugs off the street and violence at minimum here. In my hometown, there have been at least 20 drug and alcohol related arrested in the last week. This is a big step in the right direction, but if the federal government funds the cartel, gives them guns, like they have, then it's a really messed up situation. Yea, I understand their motive behind it, but I question their desire in doing it. Trying to use evil to do good never works out quite right.

And yes, I know that the machine doesn't technically decide the target, but they need to be very careful about dropping bombs on areas that may have many innocents. This can make the good guys over there defect.

There are no innocents in war, only non intentional cashualties! A bomb dropped from 30,000 ft cannot distinguish between a child and a grown-up! War is hell! And if a war is fought , One side punishes the other side as hard as they can so the wars ends and no fighting exists! We do not fight wars anymore, we drop bombs then we say we'er sorry and pay the enemy billions not to be mad at us and pay them to be our friends! We forgot how to fight a war after world war 2.

U.S. drones also kill numbers of innocent people, part of the U.S. program of How to Win Friends and Influence People. How would Americans react if a country where the U.S. had launched such attacks would attack the Americans it regards as terrorists vi dones within the U.S.?

You know bud. They did do that on 911 as far as we can tell. They claimed responsibility for the attacks from what I've seen on the media, but taking eye for an eye, even in a war can cause major problems. There are times when war is permissible, but I have to agree killing civilians and children with drones is not a step in the right direction for promoting peace. They are doing this, yet they don't want to do it by brute force, making soldiers stand down even when shot at, it makes them look like idiots. I don't think they should just go on a killing spree, but ya know, this is causing a PR nightmare for us. Former allies are now either neutral or completely against us, and we have serious problems here. I am against a complete withdraw from the area, but I don't think we are under good leadership. I don't think we should be tolerant of suicide bombers, and I really don't think we should do almost the same thing that they do by bombing areas simply because we know the leaders of their factions are there. War almost always causes serious problems, and there are times when it has been necessary to even be ruthless, but at this moment we have a serious local problem here. There are people over there that would stand down if we showed some mercy. I once thought it might be right to go over there and bomb the crap out of them, but I definitely think we may be making our enemy more angry instead of them realizing we are doing them a favor by trying to destroy the taliban, al queeda, etc. factions, they are growing more angry because they believe we are doing them injustice. This could turn into a serious catastrophy, especially if we don't take care of our problems at home.

Why is it referred to as a horribly kept secret? How is it horrible? How is it horrible if we are getting rid of the terrorists that are causing terror? What should we do? Play this hide and seek game and then just keep them in a jail for their whole life without punishment?

They're not saying the drone program is horrible. They are saying that one can hardly call it "secret" with a straight face when it's common knowledge that we have them and use them and information about them and how they are used is in the world press on a daily basis. I don't think they're arguing for full technical specs of the planes to be published online or anything, but I think they're trying to say they should not be any more "classified" than a manned fight craft.

The drone program might not be a secret but allot of it still is such as frequencys, targets, operation times ect...
So yes you could say that drones now exist but that dosn't meen that every drone out there is public knowledge. Heck the baby stelth drone wasn't common knowledge untill one landed in Iran.

May 23, 2012 at 9:00 pm |

Benlinus

@Drones R Awesome, do you often find your self perplexed by such mind bending procedurals as Law and Order?

The Iranians are reverse-engineering the one they brought down recently. I dont think it will be very long before it will be easier and easier to bring these things down. Defeat the electronics and you defeat the system. The DOD is to stupid to realize you dont fly these things over hostile airspace without a plan to deal with it if one is brought down.

Michael, does it occur to you that , just maybe, we allowed that model to fall into the Iranians hands just so we could send them down the garden path in their R&D, or is that concept too hard for you to grasp? I bet you the Iranians are not too sure of what they have or what to do with it. To reverse engineer something you still need to be at least in the same ballpark as far as the technology. In any case, don't be so quick to call our people idiots because it kind of bounces back and splatters all over your face !!!

May 23, 2012 at 9:46 pm |

gozar

President Obama is a Minsiter of Death keeping our country safe from terrorists! He is our best war time president ever. I cannot even imagine the savage retribution Minister Obama would have meeted out had 911 occurred on his watch. His economics may be arguable but his iron fisted defense of America can never be questioned. He has taken the fight to the enemy and given no quarter.

Bikeman, it does not matter how much spittle you dribble all over yourself or how hard it makes you type, facts are facts, under Obama drone strikes were more than tripled , not only in Pakistan but also in Yemen and other places and, as a result, a lot of America's enemies are now dead. I know you will never be able to look through the veil of hatred and racism that colors your post but yes, he has been very tough on America's enemies. Now go watch some more Hannity and listen to Rush so they can calm you down and make you believe you are (He, he) "Taking America Back"

May 23, 2012 at 9:54 pm |

Manen A'aydah

Once again bikeman4197 is right on target. The idea of Obama as some kind of forceful, strong national security figure is laughable.... About the best that can be said is that he hasn't gotten in the way as much as he might have, and has let the black ops folks do their jobs. So he hasn't been a complete disaster there...but some kind of National Security colossus? I'm with bikeman....LOL!

Acknowledging something exists, is not necessarily declassifying it. It is hard to continue to neither confirm or deny a programs existence when you have targeted assignations via missile strike occurring on a regular basis in the middle east, and only the United States has the capabilities to carry out such strikes.

The author fails to make a very important distinction. A program's existence can be secret, thus classified. When it's existence is made public, the only thing that is 'declassified' is the existence. All the details; capabilities, locations, usage, technical data, etc. remain classified until declassified by a fairly rigorous process within the DOD.

Exactly! Just because I know that the U-2 or Seal Team 6 or the F-117, etc. "exists", doesn't mean I or anyone else gets full information of its capabilities, prior missions, future missions, etc. To suggest otherwise is ludicrious!

It seems that the story was only covering declassifying the existence of a program and when speaking about the existence of a classified program was safe. Even then, I don't think we're ever entitled to the technical details within the program.

This is the sort of brilliance you couldn't expect from the military under GWB. GWB never seemed to consider any deeper, psychological approach. His bright idea was to just continue dumping more American power in (the "Bring It On" approach). This only emboldened the terrorists and fueled THEIR propaganda machine. It's impossible to convince Afghan citizens that we were indeed NOT occupiers and that we truly only want to destroy terrorism...when what it looked like was exactly that; Occupiers flooding in, and staying in.

All politics aside, Obama has revealed a smarter, more nimble, and deathly accurate military power. What's more, It's a war machine that considers how things will go over in the hearts and minds of civilians not only here, but in whatever nation finds itself infested with terrorist scum. Finally we have tangible evidence to prove once and for all that America never intends to harm a single innocent life. Our military combines surveillance, psychology, and technology to produce a clairvoyant-like advantage over a target. This has to have a delightful effect on a terrorist, living day by day on borrowed time never knowing the exact moment when the man in charge of the most powerful prosperous nation God's given man is gonna say "GO". Drones, enhanced snipers, and I'm sure I'm ignorant to many other tools, but this is the military of the future. I'm of the mind set that we'll never find the need to use military power against an industrialized nation, therefore we don't need to maintain a military designed for just that.

To the extent it has been used against Terrorists, I agree it's been an increasingly effective tool (a' la Israeli targeted assassinations, our new policy & in those cases rightfully so...), not really due to anything Obama's administration brought to the table, but simply as the tools and technologies mature and dividends acrue to recent investments in Humint. On the other hand its use in Pakistan has been a bit of a balls-up and in Afghanistan it's been a politically viable substitute for effective military action, but has been counter-productive and has cost the U.S. complete destruction of its reputation and its credibility. If Obama has been such a genius how come he's losing Afghanistan, has let Egypt turn into a Sharia Muslim Brotherhood state..... All the while we are hated more and more and more and more morally condemned throughout the Islamic world, and to some extent even in the West.... Sorry....this is not a clear 'win' for Obama, or the U.S., in any way.

The Islamic world will hate the US no matter what. I can't wait until we don"t need foreign oil anymore and could just let that part of the world wither away on its own hate.

May 23, 2012 at 6:33 pm |

bikeman4197

Well, Ohshi, I hope you are right that mankind has all of a sudden become suddenly "enlightened" and noone will covet thy neighbor's property, that everyone will live for the good of all mankind and not their own self interest, that nature has suddenly undone billions of years of evolutionary "survival of the fittest" instinct, that the almighty Buddha/Prophet/Jesus Christ/Yaweh/etc. has decided to take matters into their hands and strike down the evil "men" amongst us and that the will forever be no more dictators, no more men or groups intent on stealing from others or imposing there own beliefs on others that haven't "seen the light"!! Because I am doubtful that transformation has taken place or will ever take place! There will always be another Napolean, another Hilter, another Sadaam Hussein, another Kim Jong Il, another Iran, another al Qaeda because there will always be men that believe they have the "right" and power to take wealth/prosperity from others and/or impose their beliefs on others! And one of my government's MAIN responsibilities is to protect me and you from those that wish us ill. Sometimes, you can protect using a smart missile against a single target. But other times, you need a cluster bomb and let Buddha/the Prophet/Jesus/etc. sort out the truly evil ones from the merely deluded ones!

Sounds like Rod has some first hand experience, and I agree with him. Until I hear it from my security office, I don't care what someone from the White House has to say about it. I'm not risking time in a federal prison because someone in DC had loose lips. I don't have the authority to declassify anything, and until I get word from the proper authority, I am obligated to continue to treat it as classified.

Unfortunately, Obama's administration has been loose lipped over several things. The doctor who helped the CIA get bin laden is now serving 30 years in prison due to Obama's people telling how we tracked him down! They should be ashamed and we should vote them out of office!

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100% TO USD.400,000,00 = TRANSFERING SWICHTFINANCIAL 50%=USD 200,000.00
AND TODAY: TO 9:00 AM IN YOUR EMBASSY OF UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICAN IN GUATEMALA REPUBLIC , I`M GET MY LETTER OF REMEMBER YOU AND CD HOW DR-IN:PENTAGONO-2001-2054-DR-IN:KREEMBLIM-2001-2054, AND YOU, HOW PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICAN, LETS GET THE AUTORIZATION OF TRANSFERING OR SWICHTFINANCIAL FREELOTTO ONLINE THE ELEGIBLE AND PROVIDANCY: IN THIS ANALISIS TOTAL:
I`M DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES,A-1 843,343, CUI:2294-32964-0101, WINNER OF FREELOTTO ONLINE IN THE MONTHS:JULY2011,AUGUST2011,SEPTEMBER201,OCTOBER2011,NOVEMBER2011,DECEMBER2011,JANUARY2012,AND FEBRUARY 2012. MY FULL DATES IS THE NEXT: WINNER FREELOTTO ONLINE IN NOVEMBER 11 OF 2011, 17/11/2011 TO GAME: 14:00 TO 19:45 INCLUIDE ELEGIBLE AND PROVIDANCE AND CERTIBONOS TO MY NAME: DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES VALUE CERTIBNOS USD. 1000.00 TO 300 = USD 300,000.00 AND THE INFORMATION MY SELFTH IS:USUARIO:77695040 AND USUARIO:78367545, VISITANT:17,129,752.969;PIN:77695040,PIN:19591886:PNI:195918862,ACCOUNT:78367545:AND ACCOUNT: 77695040 AND No. No. PIN:195918862:,http:// http://www.FREELOTTO.COM/ASP?OFFER=608508&FID=e93b7836745-DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES-DR-IN PENTGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-DR-IN-GUATEMALA-AMERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCY.DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE, THE COMITE OF GIFTS OF PNI, LETS GET MORE OF 93,000 OF DOLLARS OF UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICAN, TO ACCOUNT OF THOUSANDS OF WONDER WINNER IN 41 COUNTRYS, AND LEST CREATE 18 MILLONARIES AND WINNER OF GIFTS OF TEN MILLONS OF DOLLARS OF UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICAN, USD TEN MILLONS. PNI, PATROCINATOR OF GIFTS ON LINE,USING THE COMODO ELEGIBLE WINNER,17/11/2011 TO NITGH 19:45 PM AND OTHER GAMES JULY 2011 TO DECEMBER 31/12/2011, LETS GET DAILY GIFTS TO TEN MILLONS OF DOLLARS OF UNITED STATES OF NORTH AMERICAN. AND RULERS OF PATROCINATOR:
No. 1 ELEGIBLE 2011 DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMRIEZ MURALLES-DR-IN-PENTAGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-GUATEMALA-AMAERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEAN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCIA-2011-2012 USD ELEGIBLE: USD 300.00
No. 1 ELEGIBLE 2011 DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMRIEZ MURALLES-DR-IN-PENTAGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-GUATEMALA-AMAERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEAN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCIA-2011-2012 USD ELEGIBLE: USD 10,000.00
No. 1 ELEGIBLE 2011 DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMRIEZ MURALLES-DR-IN-PENTAGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-GUATEMALA-AMAERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEAN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCIA-2011-2012 USD ELEGIBLE: USD 1,000.000.00
TOTAL ELEGIBLE DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMRIEZ MURALLES-DR-IN-PENTAGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-GUATEMALA-AMAERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEAN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCIA-2011-2012 USD ELEGIBLE: USD 1,010.300.00
AND:
PLEASE, SR PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES BARACK OBAMA: I`M DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES, WINNER OF FREELOTTO ONLINE IN THE MONTHS:JULY2011,AUGUST2011,SEPTEMBER201,OCTOBER2011,NOVEMBER2011,DECEMBER2011,JANUARY2012,AND FEBRUARY 2012. MY FULL DATES IS THE NEXT: WINNER FREELOTTO ONLINE IN NOVEMBER 11 OF 2011, 17/11/2011 TO GAME: 14:00 TO 19:45 INCLUIDE ELEGIBLE AND PROVIDANCE AND CERTIBONOS TO MY NAME: DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES VALUE CERTIBNOS USD. 1000.00 TO 300 = USD 300,000.00 AND THE INFORMATION MY SELFTH IS:USUARIO:77695040 AND USUARIO:78367545, VISITANT:17,129,752.969;PIN:77695040,PIN:19591886:PNI:195918862,ACCOUNT:78367545:AND ACCOUNT: 77695040 AND No. No. PIN:195918862:,http:// http://www.FREELOTTO.COM/ASP?OFFER=608508&FID=e93b7836745-DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE RAMIREZ MURALLES-DR-IN PENTGONO-DR-IN-KREEMBLIM-2001-2054-DR-IN-GUATEMALA-AMERICA-AFRICA-ASIA-ASEN COUNTRYS-EUROPE-OCEANIA-2001-2054-ELEGIBLE-PROVIDENCY.DR-FERNANDO ENRIQUE,ELEGIBLE:TOTAL USD.11,160,000.00 PLEASE:
PLASMANET, INC, P.O. BOX 4562, GRAND CENTRAL STATION NEW YORK, NY 10163

First I would love to thank the makers of these lovely drones and look forward to the days when the republicans get office again and the wars are over and, they start using them on American citizens. Police agencies are writing them tickets and lining up to get these Bad boys into American airspace. One or two have them already!!! "We are peepin at you!!!" Sweet! Cause believe this.... When these wars are over and thing get boring a republican led America eats itself! Lets Build us SOME MORE PRISONS BOYS!!!!! Mr Bush pushed hard to rid us of habeus corpus. This Homeland security aka. Big Brother... is a lookin for them some yummy homegrown terrorists. Going through your emails listening to your cell phones. They've all but paralyzed American air travel. Yup! Play with the laws and the constitution enough and they will somehow justify dumping them munitions on us. Welcome to the beginning of the end of an unchecked republican based government. Wooty woot! They don't mean to be evil. They just are. Amen

The alternative is of course, to let our country be overrun by islamic terrorists that are right now as we speak, trying to find ways to start operations and establish sleeper cells here. Read your history– Muslims have done this before.

You do realize the problem isn't all Muslims? It's the fanatics. I hope you educate yourself on who the real enemies are. Please don't forget we had the Holy Crusade where we slaughtered people for God...

The First Crusade began in 1096. They started less than a millennium ago. Not much, but less. They then continued for quite some time after that - many wars, down to Iberian intervention in North Africa, were characterized and legitimized as Crusades. So they've been over for a long time, but nothing like millennia.

May 23, 2012 at 3:13 pm |

Jymbeau

Just think, if they would have had drones back in those days, there wouldn't be any muslims left to bomb.

May 23, 2012 at 3:54 pm |

rs

Jee, isnt bosnia a place where christians killed for god much less than a millenia ago?

May 23, 2012 at 5:14 pm |

CNN Loudmouth

Hey Iraq, give us back our RQ-170 Sentinel drone spy plane, or else! Forget about the sanctions for uranium enrichment, we should be sanctioning Iran for not handing over our drone that cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Plus, we don't want China to exploit this technology and use it against us. Imagine what type of payload a hostile country could put on board a stealth drone! What the ....?

This whole article was a waste of space. Talking about the existence of a program merely puts that existence into the public domain. Given that drones have been talked about and photos published for years, that's a no-brainer. Still, the operational details of the craft and how it's all used can still be kept under wraps. The existence of the program being known, it does not automatically follow that the technical specs of the drones will be released in any depth, nor the procedures, both physically as well as militarily and politically, will be revealed. If the devil is in the details, I'm sure that there's no pressing need to release that information.

Mark my words Amerika, every citizen in this country should be concerned that overbearing authorities that are losing their financial hold on power have the ability to use nintendo games to spy on us, incarcerate us and kill us at will. Who cares about some dirty Arabs...maybe...but I wonder what is going to happen when these drones take away your ability to resist the growing fascist power right here at home. Point and case (whether you believe in Occupy's message or not) drones were used to spy on them and watch their moves from so high in the sky no one even knew they were there. Sleep tight Amerika, the government is getting ready to conquer you.

When you say "point in case" that should be followed by something that has irrefutable evidence to back it up. That OWS was tracked by drones is just a suspicion, without evidence for that your whole post makes no sense.

Well, since he actually wrote "Point and case" that makes your statement inaccurate doesn't it?

May 23, 2012 at 1:17 pm |

Question

How were UAV's used to track OWS when they are not currently allowed in Federal airspace, especially not at high altitude that would potentially conflict with manned flights? I get that there's paranoia out there regarding the unknown but paranoia in and of itself does not constitute proof or reality.
They can't fly in US airspace without public waivers which I don't recall ever seeing.

I am more concerned about what is Regarded as FICTION – 'The Machine' depicted in TVs 'Person of Interest' – Which Homeland Security's 'Black' Computer Systems use to Monitor Every Electronic Signal Generated by Any Device Anywhere on the Planet.

Ya right. Because the government really cares about where you order your Chinese food from or your meaningless blabber with your girlfriend. Idiot.

May 23, 2012 at 2:25 pm |

deathstalker187

what a joke who is confused? Not me we all have known about drones for years and years why bother trying to hide something that pretty much everyone knows about. What is classified is where and when not if. Stupid article!

ILLUMINATING – To Shine Light upon the Legal Difference between SECRET and CLASSIFIED. The Government can and DOES make Information ILLEGAL by Classifying it – Outside the Sight of the People it Governs. Sometimes for REASONS that are Contrary to National Interest.

Something that is "not a secret" can remain classified without being contradictory.
It is not "secret" that we have nuclear warheads. But the process for designing and fabricating them is, rightfully, "classified". Having and using armed drones need not be a secret, but the details of how they are used should be classified.

What did the public think was blowing up our enemies? The fact that the article has a picture of the Drone makes the entire story a non issue. Nothing has been disclosed that is not already public knowledge. Wake me up when somthing real happens, until then if you are terrorizing citizens in the arena of war, expect that your enemy is trying very hard to terminate your existence.

Want to find out all about the drones and Hellfire systems? Just log into Jane's or check the DoD's public information site. When the author Tom Clancy was investigated by Naval Intelligence after the publication of Hunt for Red October, they were trying to figure out how he knew so much about not only the Soviet Typhoon Class SSBNs but also about our own Los Angeles Class SSNs, he pulled out all his copies of public record information available from Jane's and the Navy Public Information service.
One thing I always used to complain about is Jane's gave more information about the capabilities of the submarines I served on than I was allowed to give while a member of the Navy! Had I offered the same info, I could have been prosecuted for that.

Atually when the ACLU sued to obtain information under the FOIA on said drones the Obama DOJ said that the program is classified and to acknowledge them at all would be a breach of security. John Brennan should be arrested for a security breach, but I guess it all depends on whenther your boss is running for re-election or not.

The normal CNN forum jihadists will b itch about someone finding a strawberry in ice cream and proclaiming it looks alot like Mohammad. Not to worry. This at least gives them something to complain about.

Great from 20000 feet, can't tell who gets killed, but capturing and maybe ruffling them up to get info is in humane
but killing is just fine.

May 23, 2012 at 12:34 pm |

Soldier

Of course he admitted to having them. I dont think the author really understands the idea of classifications: he didnt go into any specifics. Its like a Soldier saying he is deployed in Afghanistan v a Soldier saying he is currently in x province, x village and is going on a mission tomorrow at x time. "The spokesman was asked to comment further on the program but didn't" The author of this article just proved herself wrong. If this program was classified 'Top Secret' then it would be a different story – but...it's not. Period.

The drone; our response to the road side bomb. With more precision and less indiscriminate killing than any roadside bomb maker can claim. Beats the days when carpet bombing was the norm, yet Al Qaida and their sympathizers call foul. Meanwhile, Al Qaida and the Talliban who once terrorized others, are now terrorized themselves. Unconventional/guerrilla warfare is all fun and games until someone adapts to it... Saw enough IEDs and they did more harm to civilians than us, so I am going to sit back and enjoy reading articles where 'poor unsuspecting holy-warriors (haraam)' fear for their lives, yet preach everyone else' martyrdom at their convenience. I guess it's only cool to be martyred if you kill someone else. I expect a handful of responses from the usual online CNN forum jihadists, so here's a pre-emptive GFY. 😉

Right on! You are the only other person I have seen to get this! The terrorists are now the terrorized. I LOVE the fact that they don't know when its coming, or where, and can't prepare. Bunch of savages. How does it feel to have your "martyrdom" stolen from you? How does it feel not to be able to sleep soundly? To cringe everytime you here the sound of a plane? This is, at last, a way for our side to give those animals a piece of their own demented medicine. Make more and better drones!

I guess when they decide to resort to stick explosive devices up their arses just for a chance to blow someone else means they are REALLY desperate. And holy war or not, it is not a great recruiting proposition. Hard enough to convince someone to strap a bomb to their belly, but the new alternative is not very appealing...

And I deliberatly use the word 'amen'....to add religious insult to the muslim scum.

They have brought this upon themselves.

When a Danish newspaper prints mohmmed-cartoons, hundereds of thousands of muslims riot in every spot on earth.
But when 'radicals' murder 3000 Americans in 'the name of islam'....you don't hear a peep from them.

Don't tell me that they don't all support the terrorists. They obviously do.

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.